Capecitabine and temozolomide (CAPTEM) for metastatic, well-differentiated neuroendocrine cancers: The Pancreas Center at Columbia University experience.

Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of capecitabine and temozolomide (CAPTEM) in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) to the liver. This regimen was based on our studies with carcinoid cell lines that showed synergistic cytotoxicity with sequence-specific dosing of 5-fluorouracil preceding temozolomide (TMZ).

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 18 patients with NETs metastatic to the liver who had failed 60 mg/month of Sandostatin LAR™ (100%), chemotherapy (61%), and hepatic chemoembolization (50%).

Treatment of multiple endocrine neoplasia 1/2 tumors: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Neuroendocrine tumors are uncommon tumors that are histopathologically and biologically heterogeneous and include the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 1 and 2 syndromes. The morbidity of MEN-1 and MEN-2 is often due to the symptomatology of the endocrine hormones produced, and the mortality mainly occurs from hepatic dysfunction incurred by liver metastases. At present, there is essentially no effective cure once the tumor has metastasized to the liver.